NEWS
August 2024
We came (44 times), we saw (so many amazing pieces of theatre) and we were conquered by the generosity of the many gorgeous audiences that rocked up each day at 4.40pm to the King Dome to see 44 Sex Acts. Whilst they were throwing javelins and running races in Paris, we were competing for audiences in the Arts Olympics (aka The Edinburgh Fringe).
It was topsy turvey — we teched at midnight, warmed up in our accommodation and walked to the theatre in sunglasses already made up. We smashed out 27 shows in 29 days, we were kind to each other, made friends with artists from all over our amazing planet (and met some from Australia who we didn’t already know), we were generously reviewed, showered with stars, sold out, nominated for some awards (and won one) and were applauded by audiences from all over the world.
Club House has made our international debut, people. We had the most glorious time. Many thanks to our supporters at Creative Australia, and our champions at Belvoir, without whom this company wouldn’t exist and couldn’t flourish. Deepest gratitude to our amazing team of artists and creatives that charged across that battlefield with brave hearts and face paint and left nothing on the field.
The image is us doing a publicity shoot in our orgy pool on the Royal Mile. Excuse us Edinburgh.
Photo credit: Andrew Perry
July 2024
It was frosty cold outside but the heat was turned up for Club House’s wild debut at the Canberra Theatre Centre.
Programmed as part of Valence, 44 Sex Acts in One Week was a perfect fit for this new series, designed 'to ignite the senses and challenge perceptions; bringing together visionary artists, exploring the now, pushing the boundaries of convention, inviting reflection and action.'
Trent Suidgeest’s gloriously apocalyptic set design (silver tarp on silver tarp), lit up the Playhouse — surely one of Australia’s most cosy playing spaces.
And play we did. Canberra — you were a fabulous audience, more than ready to bring back the wild.
Special thanks to our friends Daniel Clarke and Gillian Schwab who fiercely championed this excellent new Australian play by Canberra’s own, David Finnigan.
Photo credit: Brett Boardman
May 2024
We just smashed a two-week-long stint at this year’s Brisbane Comedy Festival.
Not only did our fruity, apocalyptic rom-com, 44 Sex Acts in One Week, bring some seriously good times to the Powerhouse theatre, but we were heralded the 'highlight of Brisbane Comedy Festival’ (Scenestr) and one of the 'best performances — a hilarious, heart-warming, subversive, and intelligent show that stood out like a banana in your pocket.' (Stage Whispers) This high praise is a testament to David Finnigan’s hilarious, prescient script, and the sizzling chemistry and comic timing of our cast.
For many cast members, Brisbane Comedy Festival was their first foray into the sticky world of 44 Sex Acts in One Week. Other than our Artistic Director Bec Massey — who reprised her twin roles as a deliciously unhinged sex coach and exploitative editor — this production featured a completely new cast of exceptional Australian creatives who have come to play in the Club House.
Amber McMahon (Girl Asleep, Banging Denmark) took on the role of Celina, infusing our heroine with equal parts sex appeal and vulnerability. Aaron Tsindos (Muriel’s Wedding, No Pay? No Way!) played her office enemy-turned-reluctant-lover, Alab, with courage, authenticity, and his tongue planted firmly-in-cheek. Nancy Denis (Cleverman, The Great Gatsby) rounded out the new cast members with two pitch-perfect performances as Celina and Alab’s best friends.
Between shows, Bec Massey and director Sheridan Harbridge brought some wild foley fun to The Stage Hub with Michael Cathcart. You can check out the whole interview here (skip to 20:45), including a particularly saucy snippet where Sheridan sucks on a tomato.
Bec also spoke about the play with Marnie T and Campo on Radio RIVER FM 949, where 44 Sex Acts was cheekily sanitised down to 44 Special Kisses to comply with the show’s early morning censorship rules.
We couldn’t have asked for a better place to launch 44 Sex Acts in One Week for 2024. And while there are a million ways we could sum up this Brisbane run, Stage Whispers gave us this:
‘Of course, 44 Sex Acts in One Week was sex-positive, but it was also egalitarian, patriarchy-smashing, late-stage capitalism obliterating, empathic, relatable, and profound.’
Profound, people. Profound.
Missed us in Brisbane? 44 Sex Acts in One Week is headed to Canberra for shows on 18,19, 20 of July. Get your tickets today. A heap of Sydney adventurers are making their way down for a sneaky Canberra winter weekend getaway.
Photo credit: Brett Boardman
May 2024
After heating up the Brisbane Comedy Festival, our subversive and fabulously fruity rom-com 44 Sex Acts in One Week is sizzling down to Canberra this July.
Artistic Director Bec Massey and a delightfully naughty new cast — Amber McMahon, Aaron Tsindos and Nancy Denis — are bringing this ‘hilarious, heart-warming, subversive, and intelligent show’ (Stage Whispers) to the Canberra Theatre Centre for three nights only. It’s the perfect excuse for a cheeky escape to the capital. We’ve got a nice collection of naughty Sydney-siders who are burning their mixed tapes ready for the drive.
Go down for the night (сouldn’t help ourselves) or indulge in a whole weekend — because who knows when the world might explode in a whirlwind of fruit, passion, and late-stage capitalism. Do what they did in Brisbane and dress to bring back the WILD! (read: animal print on animal print on animal print).
‘A perfect balance between raunchy humour and genuine emotion’ (Scenestr), 44 Sex Acts in One Week is the antidote to your winter blues.
Be sure to pre-order a ‘Ruined Orgasm Cocktail’ with your ticket, or pick one up at the theatre bar before the show. Created exclusively for the Canberra run of 44 Sex Acts in One Week, it’s every bit as fruity and deliciously fun as our show.
Come. Come multiple times.
Canberra Theatre Centre
18 – 20 July, 2024
May 2024
We recently farewelled Keith Robinson, a dear friend, extraordinary creative, and one of the founding members of our Club House collective.
After graduating from NIDA in 1981, Keith joined Belvoir’s Company B, where he performed alongside artists like Hugo Weaving, Richard Roxburgh, Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush.
In 2006, Keith was diagnosed with a rare condition affecting his mobility. After a ten-year break, he made a triumphant return to the stage, playing Feste in Twelfth Night from his wheelchair.
In 2021, Keith joined the Club House gang to create the role of the narrator for our Belvoir debut, nailing it again in the Sydney Festival season of 44 Sex Acts in One Week. Though he was in high demand for TV and film roles, our apocalyptic rom com would be his last theatre role.
As an unvaccinated artist, performing on stage during the January 2022 Covid-10 spike came at a huge risk. But when asked if he wanted to withdraw, Keith refused, saying, ‘If I can’t perform, life ain’t worth living.'
As always, he was exquisitely supported by his friend, spiritual wife, and comrade in naughtiness, the fabulous Marina Finlay.
We remember Keith for his wit and deep soul. His chocolate voice and hot caramel heart. And his passionate, unending artistry. Bravo friend.
June 2023
David Finigan has done it again. It’s the third and final instalment of his Carbon 2000 Trilogy. This is perhaps the most challenging of the trilogy, the provocation within this play is proper Greek tragedy in its epic reach.
The gang’s back together: Sheridan Harbridge directs and Trent Suidgeest turns on those fancy lights we all love. We're also thrilled to announce some new additions to the Club: Australia’s own choreographer to the stars, Yvette Lee, and a multi-talented cast including the dancing fox, Bobby Fox, Mabel Lee and Monique Salle, together with our Artistic Director, Bec Massey.
This is another intergenerational work for teenagers, parents and friends.
Returning to the Red Box at beloved local creative space Legs on the Wall, we’re aiming put the first 30 pages of this baby on the floor. We’ll be working with a youth dance chorus from Village Nation, figuring out how to balance David’s clever, skewering words with poppin' and lockin'.
This development is generously supported by the kind folk at Create NSW, and our friends at Belvoir. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
To find out more about Dance Dance Insurrection, head to the project page.
Thanks to our supporters, we're working towards a premiere of Dance Dance Dance Insurrection in 2024/2025. Watch this space for updates or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest Club House happenings.
June 2023
Club House has been chosen as one of the 10 works from Australia and New Zealand to be featured at the Australian Performing Arts Market (APAM) in Melbourne on Friday, 9 June.
Our artistic director, Bec Massey will be pitching our spellbinding, all-ages romp It’s a Secret! to producers from all over the world. Watch this space or sign up to our newsletter to find out what happens next.
June 2023
We're beyond excited and honoured to have received funding from Create NSW for our upcoming project, Dance Dance Insurrection. Get a sneak peek with some behind-the-scenes footage from our development sessions with Village Nation earlier this year. We can't wait to unleash this show on stage soon! Stay tuned!
May 2023
Sometimes you get real lucky.
Dans has worked with all the greats making excellent award-winning independent theatre: Geelong’s Back to Back Theatre, New York’s Elevator Repair Service — and now she’s joined the gang at Club House! Truth told, like Marie-Elaine in It’s a Secret! she ended up at a midnight cat party and couldn’t find her way back.
Welcome Dans, we’re so thrilled you jumped through the cat flap to play with us, we’re very lucky to have you.
April 2023
Thank you everyone who came. Thank you Stephen Armstrong for giving us Playhouse (what a lovely snug theatre it is, despite its size). Thank you Jo Dyer for your vision. Thank you to the festival directors who travelled to see us and everyone who came to this wonderful snippet of our new work.
For a taste of what was on offer, check out this trailer made for us by our animator Rhys.
January 2023
OMG. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This is exciting. Very, very exciting. Taking this naughty, naughty clever work overseas. Hold onto your knickers Edinburgh, the Australians are coming for ya.
December 2022
The major Australian festivals have spoken: Club House have got funding to develop It's a Secret! in 2023.
Development will take place in March 2023 in Melbourne, at the Latvian Club.
Leading the creative charge are the award-winning Bruce Gladwin as director and the equally-award-winning Lucy Guerin AO as choreographer. They're joined by a host of brilliant talent, including playwright Melissa Reeves, composer Iain Grandage, and a cast of Australian favourites: Julie Forsyth, Cath McClements, Jacek Koman and our Artistic Director Bec Massey.
The development will span three weeks of workshopping and improvisation, after which Melissa will write the full script. Lucy will work with the band and the actors to create a theatrical language to be woven through the work.
The development will conclude with a showing in the Playhouse at the Arts Centre Melbourne.
Sincere thanks to Rising, Adelaide Festival, and the Arts Centre Melbourne for supporting us in this difficult but most rewarding of tasks: the intergenerational work.
October 2022
In September, Bec Massey pitched in Brisbane for creative development money for It's a Secret! at the Major Festivals Initiative Commissioning Site (MFI C-Site)
The MFI C-Site is an annual conference of CAIAF member festivals, that brings together festival curators, artists, their producing companies and other commissioners of work. They meet together in a single space across two and a bit days to observe, listen and learn about the ideas, concepts and visions of Australian artists, collectives and companies.
The festivals mingle, with each other and with the artists they advocate for, to invest funds in news works. It was an extraordinary two days among incredible artists cooking up some breathtaking works.
It's a Secret! received MFI seed funding from Perth Festival and is being supported by Rising Festival and Adelaide Festival, who hope to premiere the work in 2024. Fingers crossed we get the money.
Watch this space!
June 2022
Ibsen Award Winner Bruce Gladwin is taking the reins on the development of our latest inter-generational work, It's a Secret!
Bruce will be deploying the methodology he has spent the last 18 years at Back to Back theatre refining. It’s a way of working that cast and creators Cath McClements, Jacek Koman, Julie Forsyth and Bec Massey are going to find challenging — but that’s often how the magic happens.
You can see Bruce doing his thing in our latest development reel for It's a Secret!
May 2022
Huge thanks and congratulations to our producer, mentor and friend, Colm O’Callahan who is leaving our sunny shores for a BIG job in Dublin. Colm has been appointed ED of that bastion of Irish theatre: The Gate.
Thank you Colm — for your vision, scrupulous filing systems, and kind, kind heart. You’re a good egg and great crack. To The Gate, you’ve taken one of your best back, who can blame ye.
January 2022
Thank you Sydney! We made it through during the highest Covid spike to date — and you (and the critics) adored us.
So great to finally get to make this show again — we had forgotten the rolling laughs. Special thanks to the gentlemen who crowd surfed during the Saturday matinee to join the orgy. Apologies we didn’t have a sex poncho for you.
December 2021
44 Sex Acts in One Week is going to be gracing the arena-like stage of the York Theatre at the Seymour Centre. Yes! We say yes!
Look out Sydney, here we come. Bigger and brighter than before.
Sheridan Harbridge directs a crew of distinctly disobedient clowns including: Bec Massey, Priscilla Doueihy and the indomitable Keith Robinson. Real life lovers Emma Harvie and Matt Hardie will make their Club House debut as arch enemies Celina and Alab. Hot. Hot. Hottest festival ever.
Lighting designer Trent Suidgeest is working on a shiny new set design which will lean heavily on inflatables of all shapes and sizes.
As Bec put it: 'If audiences were delighted last year with the chaos and comedy of live foley with fruit and found rubbish — they are going to blow for the celebration that will be 44 Sex Acts in the Sydney Festival. Think The Wooster Group — with inflatables! If last year was a gig, this year we're getting ready for the stadium show. 44 Sex Acts — you'll want to come!"
12 – 16 January
Seymour Centre
Sydney Festival 2022
July 2021
Covid strikes again! Sorry Brisbane but they’ve locked up the gang in Sydney. Rest assured, we are plotting our escape.
June 2021
Hot on the heels of Brisbane Festival, Sydney will have another bite at this juicy, silly cherry of a show. Catch us as part of Belvoir’s inaugural Festival of Everything this September!
See the full trailer for 44 Sex Acts at the Festival of Everything here.
14, 15, 16 and 18 September
Belvoir Theatre
June 2021
Queenslanders, look out! This slippery and subversive take on a radio play is coming to the mighty Powerhouse as part of the Brisbane Festival 2021.
8 – 11 SeptemberBrisbane Powerhouse
June 2021
A huge thanks for Create NSW whose funding allows Club House to support iconic Australian theatre clown Keith Robinson to work his magic interstate and also back in Belvoir.
44 Sex Acts in One Week is the second show Keith has performed on stage since being diagnosed with Gillian Barre Syndrome and being confined to a wheelchair. Create NSW have generously approved Club House’s application for financial support so that Keith’s life long friend, partner in crime and offical support person, Marina Findlay to travel with us. Marina, we love you. Create, thank you.
December 2020
The reviews are in, and it's not just Alab and Celina falling in love: the critics adore the wild, fruity, foley fun of 44 Sex Acts in One Week.
The Australian Arts Review called it 'a subversive and joyful response to the madness that was 2020', while
The Sydney Morning Herald gave our banging radio play four stars, saying 'it's riotous and fun... You’ve probably been waiting all year for something to make you laugh this hard.'
SMH went on to praise the 'brilliant creative problem solving' by associate director Kip Chapman and the cast, gushing that the 'live foley performed by the cast has the thrill of feeling like you’re at an after-dark media-magic demonstration at Universal Studios... and the condoms covering the row of microphones the actors use is the perfect finishing touch.'
You can read the whole review on the Sydney Morning Herald website.
December 2020
After falling hard for each other making Kill Climate Deniers, the gang is back together for David Finnigan’s hot new apocalyptic rom-com.
Trent Suidgeest, lighting; post-pandemic beatz by Steve Toolmin, and a spectacularly naughty cast — Sheridan Harbridge, Bec Massey, Keith Robinson, Michael J. Whalley and Priscille Doueihy. Kip Chapman will direct this original concept by Sheridan Harbridge.
We’re bringing back the wild with this one.
The team is reinvigorating the radio play as a fleet-footed response to the pandemic. Actors will be on script, and going hammer and tongs on mangos, melons and microphones to bring this fruity beast to life.
This season is made possible by the generous support of Belvoir’s Artists at Work Initiative. Thank you Belvoir, thank you philanthropists wherever you are, and particular thanks to Aaron Beach, mentor and excellent human, for your generosity with time and knowledge (and great taste).
It’s a strictly limited run so grab your tickets quick.
June 2020
Performers and creators, Cath McClements, Jacek Koman and Bec Massey, along with director/designer, Bobby Cousins, gathered in the Red Box at Legs on The Wall, Sydney, to work on It’s a Secret!
Queen Julie Forsyth had to beam in by Zoom — she was locked down at home in Melbourne.
It was a week filled with joyous storytelling, singing, and rigging, along with moments of deep silence, as we began to shape the structure of this glorious new work.April 2020
Club House is in the baby stages of developing It’s a Secret!, a rough-cast adaptation of John Burningham’s wonderfully funny, dream-like book of the same name.
Set to the compulsive Gypsy rhythm of Melbourne’s 'King’s of The Russian Underground', Vulgargrad, It’s a Secret! is the story of a a young girl who gets invited to a midnight cat party with her cat, Malcolm.
This is a wild, all-ages melding of storytelling and music — all about night cats, dogs in costume, and being big enough to get small.
